From Rugby to...Politics?
Why I'm Standing as your lead Senedd candidate for Afan Ogwr Rhondda
I know I don't look like a politician.
I don’t sound like one either. And if you ask Chloe, she’ll probably tell you I don’t act like one.
But maybe that’s the point.
Rugby has always been more than a game for me. It’s about grafting on a muddy pitch in Maesteg, pulling on a jersey with pride, and standing shoulder to shoulder with your teammates long after the final whistle. Coaching at the Quins, with Bridgend Ravens, the Ospreys, and Wales Women, I’ve seen how sport gives young people confidence, a sense of belonging, and hope when life gets tough.
Off the pitch, my work as a teacher with children in care has shown me another side of our valleys. I see what happens when services are cut to the bone, when brilliant, funny, resilient kids are left without the support they need to build a future. I’ve watched families work themselves to the ground and still feel like the system has forgotten them.
That's why I'm standing.
Not because I’ve always dreamed of being a politician, but because I can’t watch this keep happening to the communities I grew up in. I want better for my daughter, better for your children, and better for every family in Afan, Ogwr, and Rhondda.
I might not look like a politician. But I look like something better: someone who loves this place, believes in it, and won’t stop fighting for it.